PROTECTING COUNTRY, CULTURE AND FAMILY Stages 2 - 4
HOW TO USE THESE NOTES: These notes provide some background information about the exhibition and individual works. The questions can be tailored to meet the needs of the group you are guiding. Questions with a * are designed as extensions for older students. The session will end with a reflection activity that will allow students to bring together the ideas they have discussed and respond to these in their own way. The information in this document is based on the texts in the catalogue and often is paraphrased. For exact quotes please refer to the Weapons for the solider catalogue.
INTRODUCTION TO THE EXHIBITION This exhibition was initiated by the young man of the Aṉangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjajara (APY) Lands and was supported by the senior men of the lands who are known as tjilpies. The young men also invited other Australian artists, who they felt a connection with, to be in the exhibition.
WHO ARE THE AṈANGU PEOPLE? The APY lands are owned and maintained by the Ngaanyatjarra, Pitjantjatjara and Yankunytjatjara people – the Aṉangu - of the Central and Western Desert, who are related by both kinship and genealogy. Aṉangu share many things, including language (with dialectical differences), Tjukurpa [Law and tradition], knowledge of Country and its sacred sites, as well as common history of unbroken connection to the land. This history and extensive knowledge of Country and its nuances is passed on from generation to generation as Tjukurpa, the Pitjantjatjara word for the overarching laws and stories of Aṉangu culture. Many of these Tjukurpa are recorded and explored in ceremony, as well as in painting and other creative mediums.
WHERE ARE THE APY LANDS? The APY Lands are a vast area located in remote South Australia, near the tri-state border with the Northern Territory and Western Australia, covering over 103,000 square kilometres. There are seven main communities on the Lands: Indulkana, Kaltjiti, Pukatja, Amata, Pipalyatjara, and Watarru, and several homelands, such as Kalka, Kanpi, and Nyapari. The art centres are located through the APY Lands. Starting from the west they include: Ninuku Arts at Kalka, Tjungu Palya at Nyapari, Tjala Arts at Amata, Ernabella Arts at Pukatja, Kaltjiti Arts at Fregon, Mimili Maku Arts at Mimili and Iwantja Arts at Indulkana.
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KEY WORDS AND CONCEPTS Kuḻaṯa – Spear Kuḻaṯa can be seen as both a weapon and a tool. Historically, they were used by the Aṉangu in wars over land and for hunting for kuka [meat] such as maḻu [kangaroo]. Today, they play an important part in protecting culture as the tjilpies teach the young men how to make the kuḻaṯa sharing this important knowledge as well as other stories as they work side by side. Artworks: Kuḻaṯa Tjuṯ;, Kunmanara (Ray) Ken, Weapons for the solider
Tjaṟa – Sheild Artworks:
Puṉu – Tree or Wood Puṉu is central to Aṉangu culture. Puṉu makes the spears and shields. The tree also represents the family and how knowledge is passed from one generation to the next. Artworks: Peter Mungkuri, Puṉu (trees);
Solider In this exhibition the idea of solider is not just a person in the armed forces but more broadly some who fights to protect what is important to them. This definition includes those who fight for land rights, to ensure that culture is not lost and encompasses pacifist actions like peacefully protest. Artworks: Vincent Namatjira, Unknown soliders; Alex Seton, What Are We Fighting For, Exactly?
Walytjapiṯi – Family Language at text Throughout the exhibition we see how language can be used as a weapon. Words and ideas can be used to fight for or against ideas bad ideas and actions. Language also protects culture as it is a significant part of culture and a vehicle for sharing ideas. Artworks: Mumu Mike Williams, Kunmanara (Willy Muntjantji) Martin and Sammy Dodd, Kulila! (Listen!), Alex Seton, What Are We Fighting For, Exactly?; Lionel Bawden GROUNDWORK
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ARTWORKS APY LANDS ARTISTS
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Tjara (shields) 2000 – 2001 wanari [mulga wood] There has been a long tradition of the senior lawmen of the Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra lands focusing on traditional punu (wood) carving including shields, spears, boomerangs and clubs. The shield is cut from mulga wood, the front is cut, chopped and cut and when that’s finished an opening is made on the other side for your hand. In a fight when being attacked, it is used to block blows. A fierce fighter attacks from close up and look out, you’re dodging and deflecting the strikes whizzing past you. Two men will use shields like this to save themselves from being hurt. The designs are symbols of the Tjukurpa. Men’s symbols were put on in the past by our ancestors and they kept these shields for a long time.
Uncle Charles ‘Chicka’ Madden with Jonathan Jones, Gadigal shields, 2017-2018, wood, ochre with acrylic paint. Australian Museum Collection. Courtesy of the artists and the Australian Museum. Photo: Abram Powell
Draw one of the shields. There has been a long tradition of the senior lawmen of the Pitjantjatjara, Yankunytjatjara and Ngaanyatjarra lands focusing on traditional punu (wood) carving including shields, spears, boomerangs and clubs. The shield is cut from What do you think these objects are? •
How were they made?
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Describe the patterns on them?
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Kuḻaṯa Tjuṯa [Many Spears] The young men of Amata have been assisted and supported by tjilpies [their grandfathers and the elders of the community], learning the traditional craft of spear making for this project which started in Amata in 2010. Kuḻaṯa is an important part of men’s business; this knowledge has always been passed from senior men to the young men. In learning the tradition, they are learning to protect Country, once this meant protecting it from other people and through providing food, now it is a way of maintaining culture so they may pass it on. To make the Kuḻaṯa first the men need to find the right tree, the wood from this tree is very bent so the need to learn how to straighten them in the fire, how to hunt for maḻu [kangaroo] to get the tendon which is used, how to make the iri [tip] and mukulpa [barb]. Credit
Draw a spear and label the different parts.
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What type of art work is this?
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What is it made from?
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What does it remind you of?
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How have the spears been made?
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Who made them?
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Who taught them how to make them?
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What were they traditionally used for?
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Why do the men still make them?
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What is something your parents or grandparents have taught you to make?
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Kunmanara (Ray) Ken Weapons for the solider Kunmanara (Ray) Ken was an important senior artist, in his early life he was a stockman, he was one of the first men to paint on the APY Lands, and was one of the men that started the Kuḻaṯa Tjuṯa Project. He worked hard to make sure that the Aṉangu culture and traditions were passed on and remained strong in his family. Weapons for the solider is the tile that he has used for his paintings for many years and the young men choose this title for the exhibition to honour him and the other tjilpies. Kunmanara (Ray) Ken wasn’t a man who liked to fight; he was described as kind with a good sense of humour who led with a quiet power and strength. His strength was in sharing his culture and traditions with his family. This work represents weaponry; spears, spear thrower, boomerang within a landscape like those of his sand dune and dessert paintings. Kunmanara (Ray) Ken, Weapons for the soldier, 2018, acrylic on linen, 300 x 200 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Tjala Arts. Photo: silversalt photography.
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How would you paint a work this big?
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What colours have been used?
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What type of marks have been made?
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Can you recognise any objects in the painting?
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How many Kuḻaṯa can you find?
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What else is represented in the painting?
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Kunmanara (Ray) Ken Weapons for the solider Kunmanara (Ray) Ken was an important senior artist, in his early life he was a stockman, he was one of the first men to paint on the APY Lands, and was one of the men that started the Kuḻaṯa Tjuṯa Project. He worked hard to make sure that the Aṉangu culture and traditions were passed on and remained strong in his family. Weapons for the solider is the tile that he has used for his paintings for many years and the young men choose this title for the exhibition to honour him and the other tjilpies. Kunmanara (Ray) Ken wasn’t a man who liked to fight; he was described as kind with a good sense of humour who led with a quiet power and strength. His strength was in sharing his culture and traditions with his family. This work represents weaponry; spears, spear thrower, boomerang within a landscape like those of his sand dune and dessert paintings. Kunmanara (Ray) Ken, Weapons for the soldier, 2018, acrylic on linen, 300 x 200 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Tjala Arts. Photo: silversalt photography.
FIND these weapons in other paintings
Draw the Kuḻaṯa, miru and boomerang
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Peter Mungkuri Puṉu (trees) Trees are an important part of Aṉangu culture. Puṉu is used to make all their traditional tools: Kulata [spears], miru [spear throwers], piti [bowls], nula-nula [hunting sticks], wana [digging sticks]. This is a painting of Peter’s Country and all the different types of trees that grow there .There’s a lot of different ones and Anangu have a lot of different ways of using them. Tall, skinny trees are used for kulata and hard, strong ones, like the mulga tree are used to make miru. Peter wants to pass all this important knowledge onto the next generation. Credit
Draw one of the trees
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What is this painting of?
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What are some words you’d use to describe it?
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Why has the artist chosen these colours for the background?
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What are some ways we use trees in our culture?
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Vincent Namatjira Unknown soliders Aboriginal soldiers’ contribution to the Australian Armed forces is often overlooked. A lot of young Aboriginal men fought overseas to protect this country despite not being respected or recognised as citizens. Through these paintings, Vincent is drawing our attention to this overlooked piece of Australian history. These portraits are not of specific soldiers but rather a culmination of different photos of Aboriginal Service Men that he found in his research. The artist also included a self-portrait – a choice Vincentia made as he wanted to better understand the mindset of Indigenous soldiers who were willing to fight and die for a nation that that mistreated and did not recognise them. The works are attribute to the “unknown solider”, all Indigenous soldiers and the eternal contract Aboriginal people have to protect Country. Vincent Namitjira, Unknown soldiers, 2018, acrylic on army surplus material,122 x 91 cm each. Courtesy of the artist, Iwantja Arts and This Is No Fantasy.
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What do we call this type of painting?
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Who do you think are the subjects of these portraits?
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What has the painting been painted on? Why?
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Describe the men’s expressions?
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Can you guess which one is Vincent (the artist)?
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Why did he paint himself, if he’s not in the army?
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Mumu Mike Williams, Kunmanara (Willy Muntjantji) Martin and Sammy Dodd
This work deals with land rights. This is a collaborative artwork between the 3 tjilpies who each impart their expert knowleged and skills to fight for resect and the protection of their Lands.
Kulila! (Listen!)
Mumu Mike Williams painted the central maps of Australia, the Kulata [spears], miru [spear thrower] and text in Pitjantjajara: Kulila. Manta munu Tjukurpa kunpualatjitu. [Listen.The land and the Tjukurpa have their own power.] The work is painted on an Australia Post bag, (Mumu Mike often uses these in his practice) he has written over this official government property to challenge the position that Australia belongs to the Commonwealth – he says ‘wiya’ [no] it belongs to the traditional owners. Kunmanara (Willy Muntjantji) painted to share his culture with the next generation. He painted his mother’s Country, and the Waṉampi Tjukurpa [Water Snake Story]. Sammy Dodd is a master spear make, not only creating the finest kuḻaṯa for this artwork, he also dedicates his time to teaching this tradition to the young men at Mimili.
Credit
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Looking at the artwork and reading the text, list what objects are represented in the work?
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How many artists created it?
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What has it been painted on?
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Why do you think the artist choose to work on a mail bag?
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What do we learn about Aṉangu culture and traditions from this work?
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What are the artists trying to say through this artwork?
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FIND these Pitjantjatjara words below.
y
r
n
g
t
u
p
t
j
i
t
j
i
m
j
k
u
l
a
t
a
i
m
k
r
r
s
l
l
g
a
p
a
j
u
p
u
n
u
o
d
t
i
w
n
g
u
r
a
kulata (spear)
tjara (shield)
malu (kangaroo)
tjilpi (senior man)
ngura (Country)
tjitji (child)
punu (tree)
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Witjiti George and Taylor Cooper Piltati and Malara: A story of love and war
Taylor Cooper and Witjiti George, Piltati and Malara: A story of love and war, 2018, acrylic on linen, 200 x 300 cm. Courtesy of the artists and Kaltjiti Arts
This is a collaborative artwork. Both artist painted part of the canvas with a story from their Country. Witjiti story is from his place Piltati: this is a love story. The place of this story is on the road to Nyapari from Amata. Before the Nyapari turn off you’ll see that creek. That creek is part of this Tjukurpa – the Wanampi Tjukurpa – Water Snake Story. Taylor’s story is of war, his story is Malara. This is a really big story about war. It also has a wanampi [water snake] in it, but we can’t say much more than that about this story. It’s for the men. This story is of a big fight – kulata winki kulata winki mulapa – many, many spears flying around in that fight. The stories are actually in places that are very far apart. Witjiti’s being near Nyapari and Taylor’s is over the Western Australian border.
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Describe this painting.
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What might the different shapes represent?
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It is unusual for artists to paint two different stories on one canvas. Why do you think the artists have done this? (They wanted to paint together and share their stories of their Country)
Sketch this painting
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Kunmanara (Jimmy) Pompey and Eric Barney Horses and soldiers
Many of the tjilpies [senior men] worked as stockmen at cattle stations across the land and through this developed a mastery of horse riding and a special bond. Similarities can be seen between the stockmen on the lands and the Australian light horsemen of the Second Boer War and World War I. Kunmanara (Jimmy) Pompey made the horses and Eric completed the work by making the soldiers as a tribute to his friend and mentor. Credit
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What type of work is this?
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How were they made?
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What are some similarities between the Aboriginal stockman and the Aboriginal Solider?
ARTWORKS INVITED ARTISTS
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Tony Albert and Vincent Namatjira Australia’s Most Wanted Armed with a Paintbrush Tony Albert is an Indigenous artist who lives in Sydney. He was invited to make a work for this show by Vincent Namatjira. In this work he wanted to respond to the glorification of Ned Kelly as a figure in Australian history and also honour Vincent for all the work he does for Aboriginal people. Placing Vincent in the iconic helmet inverts the traditional narrative of colonialism where white people’s stories are central to history. Tony Albert and Vincent Namatjira, Australia’s Most Wanted Armed with a Paintbrush, 2018, archival pigment print on paper, found patches, fabric, 100 x 100 cm. Courtesy of the artist and Sullivan + Strumpf, Sydney and Singapore.
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Do you recognise this helmet?
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Want do you know about Ned Kelly?
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How has the artist changed the helmet?
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How do these patches represent Aboriginal people and the different regions and remote areas?
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Look at the photo. Who is wearing the helmet?
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What does the title mean?
What issue might there be with this?
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Lionel Bawden GROUNDWORK Lionel is one of the artists who were invited to be in this show. Lionel isn’t interested in weapons as we usually think of them but he does understand the desire to protect the things you care about. Lionel sees words as the closest thing to a weapon that he uses. This work focuses on a connection Lionel saw between Anwar Young’s connection to the land and his own personal experiences. Lionel talks about the experience of working with his Dad as a gardener and spending lots of time outside and the how he feels when he’s walking in the bush. He talks about how we forget this feeling when we’re in the city. We create spaces that are separate us from the natural world. If we
have a welcome mat at the door it welcomes us to our place but if we turn it the other way it would welcome us to the earth. Lionel Bawden, GROUNDWORK 2018 (detail), ink/paint on floormats, 400 x 60 cm (40 x 60 cm each). Courtesy of the artist and Karen Woodbury Fine Art, Melbourne and Artereal Gallery, Sydney.
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What type of work is this?
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What is this work made from?
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What does it say?
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What would you normally expect to see on these mats?
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What do you think the artist wants us to think about? (our relationship to the earth)
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Alex Seton What Are We Fighting For, Exactly? Alex Seton is a pacifist: a person who believes that war and violence are unjustifiable in any situation. He believes that we need to find other ways to solve our difference and the sacrifices we make should be in order to facilitate cooperation rather than aggression. As a child he remembers making anti-nuclear protest signs with his family. Credit
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Do you know what this type of sign is used for?
Create your own sign •
Have you seen signs like this before or have you made one?
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What are these signs made from?
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How is this different from one people normally make?
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Why did the artist choose this material?
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What is written on them?
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What is the artist trying to say with these messages?
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If you were to protest, what would you protest about? What would you fight for?
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What would your sign say?
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DESIGN your own signs with messages for a better world.
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